You say tom-eh-to; we say tom-ah-to. You say chips; we say salsa!
This fresh take on one of the best snack combos of all time is perfect fare for a DIY al fresco gathering on a hot summer day. So why revisit this summer classic? Well, we know how enticing the crispy-crunchy-salty combo can be. The problem is before you know it, you’re elbow-deep in a bright, shiny bag of chips with neon orange fingertips and an increasingly guilty conscience. Blame it on the heat? It’s okay, we’ve all been there.
The great news is you don’t need to give up your chips. And even better? In the time it takes to scarf down half a bag of the grocery-store variety, you could have made your own totally tasty, vibed-up crisps.
This version is slightly crispy, perfectly salty, and has a much more pronounced corn flavour than anything you’ll find in a plastic bag. But if that doesn’t convince you, perhaps the fact that the homemade version can be made with ingredients of your choice—ahem, organic and non-GMO tortillas, an important consideration when eating corn—and the fact that they’re lower in sodium, fat, and calories, can persuade you to give it a go.
To top it off, we’ve added fresh pico de gallo salsa that’s big on flavour and nutrients and leaves behind the unpronounceable of some of the jarred variety. And just like that, you’re eating another serving or two of fresh vegetables!
Now that’s something worth dipping into.
DIY Tortilla Chips
- Organic, non-GMO sprouted corn tortillas
- Grapeseed oil for brushing
- Flaky sea salt
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly oil a cookie sheet. Set aside.
- Brush the tortillas with a little bit of oil, taking care to brush along the edges. Once all of the tortillas are oiled, stack them on top of one another. Then with a sharp knife, cut the stack into quarters. Cut each quarter in half again, so you have eight triangular-shaped tortilla chips per round.
- Layer the wedges on the oiled cookie sheet, but don’t overlap them. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. Place in the centre rack of the oven and bake for 7 minutes. Rotate the tray and bake for another 5-7 minutes, being careful not to burn them. The chips should be slightly crisp, but still, be a little flexible.
- Allow them to sit out on the counter to cool. This helps the chips to crisp up. They taste best served right away, but if you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container. They won’t be as fresh, but they’ll still be good.
Homemade Pico de Gallo
- 2 Roma tomatoes
- ½ a medium onion, cut into small dice
- ¼ – ½ a jalapeno, minced and seeds and veins removed
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- ¼ cup chopped, fresh cilantro
- 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or more to taste
- ¼ tsp sea salt
- Slice the tomatoes into five vertical slices and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut the tomato slices into small dice.
- Stir in the onion, jalapeno, garlic, cilantro, lime juice and sea salt. Stir to combine and adjust seasoning, as needed. You can eat it right away, but it’s best served after it sits for about an hour to allow the flavours to meld.
*If you’re sensitive to spicy food, be sure to remove the seeds and veins. Start with ¼ of the jalapeno. Once the salsa is made, taste and adjust your seasoning. You can always add more if you want it hotter.
